Carbon nanotube heater

Abstract

An apparatus includes a hollow heater. The hollow heater has a hollow supporter, a heating element and at least two electrodes. The at least two electrodes are separately and electrically connected to the heating element. The hollow supporter defines a hollow space, the hollow supporter has an inner surface and an outer surface. The heating element disposed on one of the surfaces of the hollow supporter. The heating element includes a carbon nanotube film. The carbon nanotube film is made of a plurality of carbon nanotubes entangled with each other.

1 . An apparatus comprising a hollow heater, the hollow heater comprising:
 a hollow supporter, the hollow supporter defines a hollow space, the hollow supporter has an inner surface and an outer surface;   a heating element, the heating element is located on the inner surface or the outer surface of the hollow supporter and comprises at least one carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes entangled with each other; and   at least two electrodes electrically connected to the carbon nanotube film.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element consists of the carbon nanotube film having a free-standing structure. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube film is a film of substantially pure carbon nanotubes. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube film are combined by van der Walls attractive force. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are substantially uniformly dispersed in the carbon nanotube film. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube film is isotropic. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotube film defines a plurality of micropores thereon. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the size of the micropores is less than 10 μm. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises two or more carbon nanotube films stacked or coplanar with each other. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the carbon nanotube film is in a range from about 0.5 nm to about 1 mm. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat-reflecting layer configuring to reflect heat emitted from the heating element. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the heating element is disposed on the inner surface the hollow supporter, the heat-reflecting layer disposed on the outer surface of the hollow supporter. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the heating element is disposed on the outer surface the hollow supporter, the heating element disposed between the heat-reflecting layer and the hollow supporter. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a protecting layer located on a surface of the heating element. 
   
   
       15 . A hollow heater comprising:
 a hollow supporter, the hollow supporter defining a hollow space, the hollow supporter having an inner surface and an outer surface;   a heating-reflective layer, the reflecting layer disposed on the inner surface of the hollow supporter;   a carbon nanotube film disposed on an inner surface of the heating-reflective layer, the carbon nanotube film comprises of a plurality of carbon nanotubes entangled with each other; and   at least two electrodes electrically connected to the carbon nanotube film.   
   
   
       16 . The hollow heater of  claim 15 , wherein the carbon nanotube film substantially consists of pure carbon nanotubes. 
   
   
       17 . The hollow heater of  claim 15 , wherein the hollow heater comprises two or more carbon nanotube films stacked or coplanar with each other. 
   
   
       18 . The hollow heater of  claim 15 , wherein the carbon nanotube film has a free-standing structure. 
   
   
       19 . The hollow heater of  claim 15 , further comprising a protecting layer, the protecting layer disposed on an inner surface of the carbon nanotube film. 
   
   
       20 . A hollow heater comprising:
 a hollow supporter, the hollow supporter defining a hollow space, the hollow supporter having an inner surface and an outer surface;   a free-standing carbon nanotube film, the carbon nanotube film comprises of a plurality of carbon nanotubes entangled with each other;   a protecting layer, the protecting layer disposed on an inner surface of the carbon nanotube film; and   at least two electrodes disposed on and electrically connected to the carbon nanotube film.